David Brandon on WDFN: Outside advice on coach search was 'from the heart,' but 'uninformed'

When you're talking about a high-profile football program, such as the University of Michigan's, the firing and hiring of head coaches is going to draw a lot of attention.

And in the era of "new media," everyone with a computer or cell phone has a voice about who should be the Wolverines' next head football coach. Unfortunately for athletic director David Brandon, it makes for an excruciatingly painful week when you're trying to make sure the most important call of your career is the correct one.

Of course, Brady Hoke is the next coach at Michigan, but he's not the only one Brandon considered.

"I got inundated with advice," he admits on WDFN-AM 1130. "A lot of people with very good hearts, and who care a lot, and with a lot of passion, came at me with their point of view. And I respect that, and I certainly tried to show them a courteous reply whenever I could because those passionate people are what make Michigan football special.

"However, most of them are very uninformed, and in most cases, they were recommending people they had never met. Or been in the same room with. Or ever had a conversation with. And interviewing a candidate for an important job like this is about sitting down and talking about specific issues, and getting to know them at a completely different level than blogs and statistics and images that, in many cases, are shaped by PR more than reality.

"So, I didn't pay a lot of attention to those recommendations – even though they came from people with good hearts, they just weren't all that helpful."

Listen to the full interview below to hear what sold Brandon on the idea that Hoke should be Michigan's next head football coach: